There once was a time where Arsenal looked like they were stuck on the road to nowhere. They were continually the butt of the joke, particularly when it came to transfers and squad building.
In the summer of 2021, Gary Neville famously and infamously claimed: "I don't know the plan at Arsenal. The recruitment has been really poor. I don't get the strategy, I don't get the direction of how they’re taking the team."
It's to the credit of manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu, who initially returned to north London as technical director in 2019, that this sentiment belongs consigned to the distant past and a completely different era of the club. Alas, Arsenal's transfer duo are splitting up.
It was reported on Monday that Edu is leaving his post at the Emirates Stadium, marking an end to an important chapter in the Gunners' recent history. The current squad, one built for Premier League and Champions League contention, is shaped largely in the Brazilian's image. He was part of the Invincibles as a player, but if this Arsenal core does go on to win a major title, Edu will also become immortal.
GOAL has dug back through the archives and ranked the 10 best signings made under Edu: